Previously…
Last month I took a look at Dorphsie Jean’s Spirits Destiny # 1 A super-natural superhero story about a young black woman with a long road ahead of her and a great role to play in the shaping of her world. I was excited to see how the story progressed and the world was expanded and in this issue, we’ll get a closer look at Destiny’s, well destiny.
Situation
If you remember the last issue Destiny was the victim of teenage curiosity and a military-grade laser cannon to the chest. After witnessing the anguished cries of friends and family alike we see Destiny again in some sort of limbo dimension, where she converses with a mysterious yet familiar woman and faces off against some really ugly denizens of the realm. Meanwhile, her parents, who were apart of some sort of secret combat training camp, argue about each other’s fast and loose parenting style. Destiny’s grandmother Danielle, however, has other plans. Plans that include summoning a demon to resurrect her granddaughter from the dead. This leads into some back and forth and eventually, Destiny coming face to face with some unholy terror from beyond the veil.
Story
Spirits Destiny # 2 is a bit more focused than issue 1, as a clearer picture of our main character's past and who she really is, slowly comes into focus. Dorphise Jean seems to have many plans for our heroine however what those are, have yet to be seen. My favorite part of this story is the occult supernatural themes present, her grandmother is owed a favor from a demon that can resurrect the dead and I am extremely interested in the why and how of it all. Destiny seems to be a bystander in the path of her own life. With her parent's secret training and her grandmother’s secret deals, it seems like Destiny never had a say in her fate, which could make for some interesting choices in the future. I didn’t care much for the parents' secret training side story, it felt as though it added another layer to make Destiny special when her grandmother’s machinations would have been enough. However, like Destiny’s choices, this could lead to something interesting if Jean decides to take it in unexpected directions.
Pictures
Julie Anderson handles the artistic duties for this book and as I mentioned in my review of issue 1, having a single artist gave this book a style all its own. There are some designs that miss the mark such as Destiny’s friends, but the major players all look great. Destiny has a cute sort of manga look too her, with large innocent eyes that display all the hope in the world. Her grandmother Danielle, who might be my favorite character in the book, has a very stately look to her, like an old master in a martial arts film. Anderson does a great job of replicating what I can only assume is traditional Haitian religious garb during the rituals, giving care to cultural details.
The demon designs in the book are some of my favorite of any supernatural horror, they’re not hulking horned brutes with loincloths, but robbed and mysterious figures that would be more at home in a Shadowman comic or an H.P. Lovecraft story. They have a design that doesn’t make them seem run of the mill but not too extravagant at the same time.
The Real
I like where this issue is going and I was glad to see an all-female team working on this project since comics are a male-dominated medium. I look forward to more from these ladies.
PURCHASE
As always if you enjoyed the review please take the time to support! You can contact the creator Dorphise Jean via email at JDorphise@yahoo.com
This review was written by Ra'Chaun Rogers on behalf of Concept Moon Studios. If you enjoy his comic reviews click here for more!
